Noelle snorted. “What about you males? Should you have a buddy with you at all times, too?”
He lifted one shoulder. “If we needed to, then yes. Sometimes we do, just depends on the situation.”
This time, Noelle was the one to raise a brow. “So, you think only females should have buddy at all times, while you big bad males only require one in certain situations. Do you hear the double standards in your words?”
Ridge shoved his door open without answering. He wasn’t going to argue with his...mate. Hell, fate had such a fucked-up, twisted sense of humor. “You’re right.”
“Why do I feel as though you’re just saying that?” Noelle asked as he stood outside the passenger door.
“Female, are you always this argumentative?” Ridge never lost his temper or his cool, but the female was seriously trying him.
She grinned. “Before tonight, I’d have said no.”
Her smile transformed her from beautiful to a knockout. Shit, his body, which hadn’t been hard since earlier, went rock-hard again. “You’re enough to test a saint, female, and I got news for you,” he whispered, moving in closer. “I’m as far from one of those as you can get.” Not giving her a chance to speak, he tugged her face closer to his.
With a gentleness he didn’t realize he had in him; he brushed his lips over hers. As her breath expelled over his lips, he smiled. “Open your mouth, my little kitten.” He feathered kisses across her closed mouth until she did as he requested, giving him access. He took advantage, licking along her top lip, tracing the bottom then delving inside. Her hands went to his shoulders, pulling him closer.
The sound of their heartbeats echoed in his ears as he turned his head to the side, sliding his hand to the back of her head as he held her in place, kissing her deeper. Their tongues dueled, licking and tangling each other in a dance as old as time. He could picture them doing the same thing on his bed with nothing between them but their skin.
A throat clearing from behind him had him drawing away, his breathing a little labored. Noelle’s eyes were closed, her lips even redder than her natural red. He used his thumb to rub the moisture from their kiss into them. “You taste delicious, Katjie.”
“Hello,” a female voice groused from behind.
Ridge noticed a paler, older version of Noelle. hovering behind them. “You must be Merry?”
Noelle’s eyes popped open. “Oh, my gawd, Merry?”
“OBVIOUSLY, YOU’VE BEEN a very busy girl. Should I come back at another time?” Merry snarled.
Noelle pushed at Ridge’s chest, which was like pushing at a stone mountain. “Please let me out.”
“She’s a bitch. You’re aware of that, right?” he asked in a deep voice that rolled over her like a caress.
“She’s my sister.” Noelle wouldn’t make apologies for Merry. It was because of her that her sister and the others had suffered the way they had. She’d pay for that for the rest of her life.
“I can see nothing I say will convince you that she should be any different.” Ridge gripped her around the hips, settling her on her feet with reluctance.
“Who’s your friend, Noelle?” Merry moved closer, lifting her hand onto his chest.
Ridge grabbed her hand, moving it away from him. “Name’s Ridge. Where’s the rest of your party?”
Noelle was a little surprised to find her sister outside by herself, especially out back. “They’re inside. I was...worried when I couldn’t find Noelle. I thought I’d come out here since this was the direction, she’d been seen heading last. Where’ve you been?” Her dark-blue eyes narrowed.
“I went for a ride with Ridge. He owns the bar. Oh, we’d better get inside if you want a drink before last call is announced. Ain’t that right, Ridge?” Noelle hoped the man who had saved her earlier would do so again. He gave a short nod.
“What do you mean, last call? Don’t you own the bar? You can make exceptions for us.” Merry narrowed her eyes like she didn’t believe him.
Ridge gave a half smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Yes, I own Mayhem, but we also have to adhere to the law. Now, if you two would like to get a drink before they close the bar down, I suggest you hightail it inside. I’ve got a few calls to make.”
Noelle tried not to be hurt as he lifted his cell from the back pocket, his attention immediately diverted from her and her sister. No, she wouldn’t be upset by his lack of attention or the fact that he didn’t seem to give two shits about her. The man ran hot and cold. He was the opposite of what she needed in a mate. Ack, here she was thinking in terms of mates, and she wasn’t a shifter. What the heck was wrong with her? She needed this wedding to be over, so she could go back to the quiet solitude of a lifestyle she was trying to build.
“Are you even listening to me?” Merry literally shrieked.
Noelle sighed, hating her sister’s voice when it took on the whiney tone she tended to get when she wasn’t getting her way. “I’m sorry, Mer, what was it you said?”
“See, I knew you weren’t listening to me. That man, he has you all twisted up. Did you give it up to him in his pickup or what? I told you, you needed to get out there, but honestly, Noelle, you need to be a little choosier. You do not just give it up to every hot guy in a tight pair of jeans.” Merry rolled her eyes, her words seeming to echo around them inside the bar.
She stopped walking, appalled at the stares of the others. “Merry, that’s a disgusting thing to say. I would never...just give it up to a guy I just met. Second, he’s not just some guy in a pair of tight jeans, his name
